TI introduces the world's smallest MCU, enabling innovation in the tiniest of applications

Rhea-AI Summary

Texas Instruments (TXN) has unveiled the world's smallest microcontroller (MCU), the MSPM0C1104, measuring just 1.38mm² - 38% smaller than current competing devices. This breakthrough MCU, about the size of a black pepper flake, is designed for compact applications like medical wearables and personal electronics.

The new MCU features 16KB of memory, a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with three channels, six general-purpose input/output pins, and compatibility with standard communication interfaces. It joins TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio, which includes over 100 cost-effective MCUs.

Priced at $0.20 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities, the MSPM0C1104 is available in preproduction quantities. TI also offers a LaunchPad™ development kit for $5.99, along with comprehensive ecosystem support including software development tools and reference designs.

Positive

• World's smallest MCU launch strengthens TI's market position in compact electronics
• Competitive pricing at $0.20 per unit supports market penetration
• Expanded product portfolio with over 100 cost-effective MCUs
• Internal manufacturing capacity investments to support future demand

Negative

• Currently only available in preproduction quantities, limiting immediate revenue impact

News highlights:

• TI today announced the world's smallest microcontroller (MCU), delivering optimized size and performance for compact applications such as medical wearables and personal electronics.
• The new MCU is 38% smaller than the industry's current smallest MCU, and enables designers to minimize board space without compromising performance.
• The new MCU expands TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio, which enhances sensing and control in embedded systems while shrinking cost, complexity and design time.

DALLAS, March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) today introduced the world's smallest MCU, expanding its comprehensive Arm^® Cortex^®-M0+ MSPM0 MCU portfolio. Measuring only 1.38mm², about the size of a black pepper flake, the wafer chip-scale package (WCSP) for the MSPM0C1104 MCU enables designers to optimize board space in applications such as medical wearables and personal electronics, without compromising performance.

For more information, see ti.com/MSPM0C1104.

"In tiny systems such as earbuds and medical probes, board space is a scarce and valuable resource," said Vinay Agarwal, vice president and general manager of MSP Microcontrollers at TI. "With the addition of the world's smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives."

With over 100 cost-effective MCUs, TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio offers scalable configurations of on-chip analog peripherals and a range of computing options to enhance the sensing and control capabilities of embedded designs. TI will display these devices at embedded world 2025, March 11-13, in Nuremberg, Germany.

Tiny package, big possibilities
Consumers are continuously demanding that everyday electronic items, such as electric toothbrushes and stylus pens, offer more features in a smaller footprint at a lower cost. To innovate within these shrinking products, engineers are increasingly seeking compact, integrated components that enable them to add functionality while preserving board space. The MSPM0C1104 MCU leverages the advantages of WCSP packaging technology, along with intentional feature selection and TI's cost optimization efforts. The size of the eight-ball WCSP is 1.38mm², making it 38% smaller than competing devices.

The MCU features 16KB of memory; a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with three channels; six general-purpose input/output pins; and compatibility with standard communication interfaces such as Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) and Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C). Integrating accurate, high-speed analog components into the world's smallest MCU gives engineers the flexibility to maintain the computing performance of their embedded systems without increasing board size.

To learn more, read the technical article, "Tiny, but mighty: How small-size packaging and integration for MCUs help optimize space-constrained designs."

Scale from small to large designs using a single MCU portfolio
The new MSPM0C1104 joins TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio, which offers scalability, cost optimization and ease of use to accelerate time to market. TI's MSPM0 MCUs feature pin-to-pin compatible package options and feature sets to match memory, analog and computing requirements in personal electronics, industrial and automotive applications. Starting at US$0.16 in 1,000-unit quantities, the portfolio includes other small packages to help reduce board size and bill of materials. This optimization and feature integration across the portfolio help engineers design products of any size while reducing cost and complexity in their systems.

For further support, TI's comprehensive ecosystem includes an optimized software development kit for all MSPM0 MCUs; a hardware development kit for rapid prototyping; reference designs; and subsystems, which are code examples for common MCU functions. TI's Zero Code Studio tool enables users to configure, develop and run MCU applications in minutes without coding. Engineers can take advantage of this ecosystem to scale designs and reuse code without the need for significant hardware or software modifications. In addition to this ecosystem, TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio is supported by TI's growing investments in its internal manufacturing capacity to support future demand.

TI at embedded world 2025
At embedded world 2025, TI will demonstrate how its technologies enable engineers to reimagine embedded systems, helping create a more intelligent and connected world. TI's exhibit in Hall 3A, Booth No. 131 will include advancements in real-time monitoring and perception with edge artificial intelligence, connectivity for the Internet of Things, and development with open-source software. See ti.com/EW for more information.

Highlights during the show include:

• Tuesday, March 11:
  • TI Chief Technology Officer Ahmad Bahai, Ph.D., participates in "C-Level @ embedded world."
  • Nitika Verma presents "Network Traffic Tunneling on Heterogeneous SoCs."
• Wednesday, March 12:
  • Daolin Qiu presents "Time Synchronization over Network Redundancy in Real-Time Applications."
• Thursday, March 13:
  • Nilabh Anand presents "Audio Solutions with TSN – Architecture for Zonal Automotive ECUs."
  • Divyansh Mittal presents "Boot Time Optimization for Early Display and Graphics in Embedded Systems."
  • Matthieu Chevrier and Ahmad Saad, Ph.D., MathWorks, present "Faster Time to Market, Effective mmWave Radar Prototyping: A Unified Approach with TI MMIC and MATLAB."
  • Nilabh Anand presents "Benchmarking Network Startup Time for Security-Enforced Industrial IoT Devices."

Package, availability and pricing
Preproduction quantities of the MSPM0C1104 MCU are available at TI.com.

• Pricing of the WCSP device is US$0.20 in 1,000-unit quantities.
• Multiple payment and shipping options are available.
• The MSPM0C1104 LaunchPad™ development kit is available for US$5.99 on TI.com.

About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) is a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, personal electronics, enterprise systems and communications equipment. At our core, we have a passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors. This passion is alive today as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology more reliable, more affordable and lower power, making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. Learn more at TI.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments

FAQ

What are the key specifications of TI's new MSPM0C1104 MCU (TXN)?

The MSPM0C1104 MCU measures 1.38mm², features 16KB memory, 12-bit ADC with 3 channels, 6 GPIO pins, and supports UART, SPI, and I2C interfaces.

How much smaller is TI's new MCU compared to competitors?

The MSPM0C1104 MCU is 38% smaller than the industry's current smallest MCU.

What is the price of TI's new MSPM0C1104 MCU in March 2025?

The MSPM0C1104 MCU is priced at $0.20 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities.

What applications is the new TXN microcontroller designed for?

The MCU is designed for compact applications such as medical wearables, personal electronics, electric toothbrushes, and stylus pens.